Closer Little Spy - Chapter 1

“No, no way!”  Yu Qiao Xuan stared incredibly at the 50 year old middle-aged man.

“My daughter, don’t be so unfeeling.”  The middle-aged man begged.

He is Yu Qiao Xuan’s biological father, Yu Rong Gui.

“How am I unfeeling?  Do you even know what you’re asking?  Your only daughter finally managed to graduate University and enter society.  Instead of being happy, you ask her to infiltrate a hotel as a spy to steal other people’s private information?!”  The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

This morning, the school had just held the graduation ceremony, signaling her turn from student into adulthood.  She had planned to stay in Taipei a few more days before returning home, but didn’t expect her Dad to come knocking at her door.  He informed her there were important matters he needed to discuss with her, so they both rushed back home overnight to Yilan.

Yu Rong Gui has always had an easy-going personality about everything.  To see him so insistent this time really startled Qiao Xuan, so she immediately bought the tickets for the ride home.  Who knew her Dad’s so-called “big” problem was actually such an outrageous plan.

“Dad knows this kind of thing is wrong, but you have to think about my situation.  I also have difficulties!”  If he hadn’t been so desperate, then he wouldn’t have involved his daughter at all.

“Don’t mention difficulties to me!”  Qiao Xuan rolled up her sleeves, ready to fire back.  “You said before that during the holiday’s it will be hard to find a room.  So why not open a B & B and take advantage of the situation.  It would be an easy business venture, you said.  But how come we are in so much debt?”

That evening, when they arrived home, there was a sumptuous dinner waiting for her.  This was the so-called “feast” her Dad so anxiously rushed her home for.  She secretly surmised something was up.  Indeed, not long after dinner, her Dad suddenly revealed he carried a ten million TWD debt.  She almost choked to death on the rice upon hearing the news.

“Oh, well it’s a long story…”  Yu Rong Gui began hesitantly.

“You have that kind of money to lend to others?”  Qiao Xuan narrowed her eyes.

“No no no.”  Yu Rong Gui hurried to explain, “This time I have absolutely no money to lend.  I just helped co-signed for some people…  Oh, no!”

Yu Rong Gui could only cover his mouth after realizing his gaffe.

“Co-sign?!”  Sure enough, after realizing what her Dad did, she went on a rage.  “Didn’t I tell you not to lend your friends any more money?  This time you even co-signed?!  Such an important thing, why didn’t you talk to me first?  I am really mad at you!”

“If I talked to you first, you would’ve stopped me.”  Yu Rong Gui says innocently.

“Exactly!”  Qiao Xuan bellowed.

Her Dad doesn’t smoke, drink, or gamble.  His only shortcoming was his gullibility, which will be the death of him.

Having lived this long, but still getting swindled by people who are so-called friends.  They would shamelessly beg him for money until he relented.  Disregarding their own situation, he would still hand over the money.  She really doesn’t know if her Dad is a savior or a fool?

Qiao Xuan really admired her gentle and beautiful Mom, who is in heaven, who was able to put up with this man for so many years.  She struggled so much throughout their marriage, but was still in love with him until she died.

“Oh, yes, you don’t really know.  This uncle is really poor.  He went to Kaohsiung to do business but it failed.  He came back and said he wanted to try fishing, but had no ship or equipment.  Those who have, will make a lot of money he said.  But he didn’t expect that the first time out, the ship got damaged…”

“Good!  I don’t want to know how poor this uncle is.  I only know that the world’s poorest person is probably me!”  Qiao Xuan gave her Dad a murderous look.  Yu Rong Gui pleaded, “But what is the uncle to do?”

He owed the bad debts, what does that have anything to do with them?  They’ve been neighbors for so many years, how could he?

“Ah…  I don’t know, he could be in Shenzhen…”  Yu Rong Gui had gone to their home several times already, but the wife does not know anything, and keeps apologizing to him.  He saw that they were really poor, and didn’t have the heart to pressure them.

“Shenzhen?  Do you mean he’s run away?”  Oh my God!

“I think so…”  Looking at her increasingly livid face, cold sweat formed on his forehead.

“The ten million TWD, how did you even get it?”  Although the business was good, but her Dad always lent out money, so they never had any savings.

“That’s why I hope you would help ah…”  Yu Rong Gui looked guiltily at his daughter.

“Help?  How am I supposed to help by infiltrating a hotel and stealing someone’s personal information?”

“Our B & B is pretty well-known in Yilan, Hualian, Taitung, and other tourist cities.  We’ve built up a good reputation over the years.  If we sell it at a good price, we should be able to return the money…”

“Wait a minute!  You mean…  You want to sell our B & B?”  Qiao Xuan didn’t want to live anymore.

Although her dream is to open a coffee shop and she wasn’t interested in running the B & B, but she knew that both her Mom and Dad built that B & B from the ground up.  Whether they had to sell it or not, she will feel very reluctant.

“Yes, I’ve thought about this a long time.  We can definitely raise the money right way.”

“But, is this alright?  The B & B, we’ve had this business for so many years…”

Seeing his daughter’s hesitation, Yu Rong Gui waved his hand.  “Oh, life is short and unpredictable.  We should address the present difficulties first…  Ah, yes, I haven’t finished.  Do you know the five star hotel chain “Fu Hua”?  I recently heard they intend to develop business in Pingtung, and is also very active in acquiring a B & B.  I would say this is a good opportunity.  If they are willing to purchase our B & B, then we wouldn’t have to worry about the debt.  I have to find ways to convince them.  Do you have any suggestions?”

Qiao Xuan shook her head.

“Their general manager doesn’t want to purchase our B & B!”  Yu Rong Gui couldn’t help but fume.  “I asked the general manager directly why they didn’t want to purchase our B & B.  He said that he didn’t think our B & B design was any good, and the location is poor.  Compared to other places, the value is too low.  What…what is he talking about ah?!  He didn’t even bother to send someone to inquire about our guests ah!  The general manager must have a psychological problem.  He must be a profiteer, trying to pressure us into lowering the price so we lose everything.  We mustn’t let him succeed, right?”

“Alright, don’t get too excited.  You’re getting older, you should worry about your hypertension ah.”  Qiao Xuan tried to soothe her Dad.

“Xuan Xuan ah, just help your Dad steal some secrets to blackmail their company into purchasing our B & B.  You just have to get close to the general manager.  Even if he caught you red handed, we could still use that as a bargaining chip to force him into buying our B & B.  What do you say?”

“This…”  Qiao Xuan creased her brows.

After her initial rage, she has had time to cool down.  What’s important now is to find a solution out of this dilemma.  But to become a spy is rather farfetched.

“Oh, ever since your Mom passed away.  I’ve been nothing but sorry towards you.  I…”

“Ok, stop it.”  Qiao Xuan quickly stopped her Dad.

She’s most afraid when he resorts to “recalling the past” whenever he’s desperate.  Watching him tear up when he recalls how difficult it was for him to bring her up alone…  She immediately relented, surrendering on the spot.

“Will you do this for me?”  Seeing imminent victory, Yu Rong Gui wipes away his tears.

“Okay.”  After all, he’s her Dad.  Did he really think she was going to leave him with the debt alone?

“Uh…I’m so touched.  Dad really didn’t want to put you in this position.  You are a worthy daughter.”  Yu Rong Gui pulls Qiao Xuan into his arms.

“Wait a minute, don’t get too excited.”  Qiao Xuan pushed him away.  “I’ll help you, but you have to promise me one thing, that from now on…”

“I know, I’ll no longer lend money to others.  And I won’t co-sign anything either, okay?”

“It’s good, you know.”  Qiao Xuan is still pained.

“You can trust me.  I promise you, I’ll never do it again, really!”  Yu Rong Gui knew this time he had really angered his daughter.

Qiao Xuan sighed.

She’s heard this many times before.  She hopes this really is the last time.

Qiao Xuan studied restaurant management in University and in her last semester, she even spent time getting a chef’s license.  According to Yu Rong Gui’s friend, it would be easy for her to get into Fu Hua as a kitchen assistant.

She was getting ready to enter the Taipei headquarters.  They reasoned, the chances of meeting with the general manager here would be easier.

As a new member of society, the first job is always nerve racking, even more when she had an ulterior motive.

She arrived at Fu Hua at six in the morning.  Hotel staff were entering one by one through the back door entrance.  It seems, there is a wedding ceremony happening at noon today.  The entire hotel kitchen staff were too busy to notice her.

“Eight o’clock…”  Qiao Xuan glanced at the clock.

Qiao Xuan thought nobody would ever leave the kitchen.  Suddenly, a young man entered from outside.

Qiao Xuan thought someone was finally coming to greet her, so she nervously jumped from her chair.  She stood for a while, but still no one came.  Curious, she walked into the staff lounge to see who he was.

The staff lounge was a small office filled with all kinds of utility tools, Qiao Xuan saw the man through the open door crouching down looking for something.

“What are you looking for?  Can I help?”  Qiao Xuan leaned against the door.  She was bored anyway, might as well find something to do.

The man turned to look back at the door in surprise.  He hadn’t expected there to be anyone else in the room.

The man didn’t reply to Qiao Xuan, and didn’t inquire to who she was either.  He silently eyed the girl wearing the hotel uniform.  His eyes gave off a distinguished feel.  If one did not carefully observed however, that distinguished feeling could also be interpreted as a little censure.

“Who are you?  And why are you here?”  When the man spoke, his tone was flat and restrained, not giving away is thoughts.

“I’m new to the kitchen staff, but it seems everyone is busy so there is no one to take me around.  I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want to hinder anyone, so I stayed in the room.”  Qiao Xuan shrugged helplessly.

The man watched her just as she was watching him.

Qiao Xuan speculated that the man was around twenty-eight years old.  Judging from his age and his familiarity with the equipment in the room, he must be an electrical apprentice at the hotel.

He was good looking with an impressive physique, but the only drawback was he was too dirty.

Even electrical apprentices should pay attention to their appearances, right?  Looking at his crumpled shirt, even the buttons were misbuttoned, and when was the last time he shaved?

“No, I’ll find it.”  He didn’t continue to inquire about her identity and even declined her kindness.

“Are you underestimating me?  You don’t think I’ll know what you’re looking for?  Come on, tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll find it for you.”  Qiao Xuan didn’t give up.

Thanks to her family’s B & B business, she grew up watching her Dad repair everything, making Qiao Xuan more knowledgeable than others.

The electrician was quite busy today, so he didn’t have time to come inspect the shower head.  He was also in a hurry, so he’ll just have to believe in this woman.

“I’m looking for a six angle wrench.”  He didn’t stop rummaging through the equipment, and his voice didn’t hold too much confidence in her.

“No wonder you can’t find it in this box.  What you’re looking for is a screwdriver, not a six angle wrench…  Hmm, I’ll find it for you.”  Qiao Xuan picked up a screwdriver and thrust it into the man’s hand.  “Here, this is what you’re looking for.”

The man paused.  He hadn’t expected the woman to understand.

“Thanks.”  The man expressed his gratitude, then hurried away.

“Hey, wait a minute.”  Qiao Xuan stopped him.

“What’s wrong?”  The man stopped and frowned.  He seemed a little annoyed to be sidetracked from his task.

“Is today your first day too?”

The man didn’t know how to answer her.  Before yesterday, he was abroad and he just arrived back last night.  He was temporarily staying at the hotel, so today is technically his “first day” back, so to speak.  He wanted to ask what she meant.

“I…  Yeah.”  The man hesitated before finally answering her literally.

“I knew it!”  Qiao Xuan snapped her fingers.  “Your appearance is too dirty, your shirt isn’t ironed, and you’re unshaven.  I tell you, we at Fu Hua are a five star hotel, even an electrical apprentice needs to be concerned about their appearance.  So as not to frighten the guests, you know?”

“Electrical apprentice?”  When had he become an apprentice?

“Yes ah.  Oh, let me see.  Now that I don’t have anything to do, I’ll help you to shave.”  Not waiting for his reply, Qiao Xuan pulled him back into the staff lounge, took out a razor, and dragged him into the restroom.

“Hey, you…”  The man didn’t think Qiao Xuan would do such a thing, so could only passively let her drag him the restroom.

“Don’t move, or you’ll be cut.”  Qiao Xuan waved the razor in front of the man’s eyes, like a weapon in front of the hostage.

“Hey, I’m warning you, don’t do it!”  The man was really afraid of Qiao Xuan’s “weapon”.  He was much bigger than her, he should be able to resist.

“Trust me, I’ll not “freeze”.  I’ll do it slowly.  Okay, sit down.”  Qiao Xuan pulled the man down to sit on the toilet.  She applied some shaving cream onto the man’s face.  “Jobs aren’t that easy to come by, and the competition is intense.  If you want to keep your job, you should spend a little attention on appearances.  It’s the same for electricians.  If you’re good and can maintain your appearance, isn’t that having a competitive advantage above others?”

Qiao Xuan was careful to shave him, while giving him advice.

In her heart, Qiao Xuan couldn’t help but sigh a little.

Alas, she really is her Dad’s child.  She’d always believed her Dad was too nosy, but it seems she has also inherited that part of his personality.

“Hey, you…”  The man stared at the razor in her hands, afraid to move.

“Rest assured, my skill is very good.”

After a while, the man was clean shaven.  She took a towel and dipped it in water, wiping the remaining shaving cream off his face.  He turned around to inspect her masterpiece in the mirror.

“You see, it’s really good right?”  Qiao Xuan looked at the man, suddenly thinking he is really handsome.

“Can I go back now?”  He lifted his brows at Qiao Xuan from the mirror.

Usually, if a lower level staff dared to offend him, he should be furious and punish her, but strangely enough, he was not angry.  He even thought this woman was quite interesting…

“Oh yes, if you delay too long, then you’ll get scolded by the electrician.”  Qiao Xuan quickly lets him go.

“Rest assured, he’s repairing the gym’s steam room right now, and doesn’t have the time to scold me.”  The electrician wouldn’t dare to him.

“Huh?  You didn’t come back here to help him look for tools?”

“No, the shower head is leaking, and the electrician is not available right now, so I’m going to repair it yourself.”  Although he’s a superior, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t share in the work load.

“By yourself?  Are you sure?”  Qiao Xuan followed him worriedly.

“You doubt me?”

The man suddenly stopped and turned back making Qiao Xuan collide into his chest.

“Not really.”  Qiao Xuan rubbed her red nose.

“Really?”  The man crossed his arms in front of his chest, amused.

Qiao Xuan’s red nose almost had him laughing, but he still managed to keep a poker face.

“Today’s your first day of work, and the pressure must be overwhelming.  I’ll go with you to have a look, maybe I can be of help.”  She also has some experience, so she can be useful.

“You know how to repair shower heads?”  Usually women wouldn’t know about these things?

However, if she was willing to help, he wouldn’t have to phone the electrician for instructions.  He’s never actually fixed a shower head before.

“Well, because my Dad does a lot of the repairs at home, sometimes I’d help him out.  If the problem isn’t too complicated, then I can handle the situation…  Okay, don’t dawdle, we’re wasting time.”  Qiao Xuan picked up a few more tools, then led him to the staff elevator.

“Hey, you…”  Looking at her attitude, is she treating him like her sidekick now?

Qiao Xuan followed the man to Room 806.  At the door, the man pulled a room key from his pocket and opened the door not even bothering to knock, and walked right in.

“The guests aren’t in?”  Qiao Xuan uneasily followed him inside.

“Er…  Not at the moment.”  The man hesitated, because he was the guest in question.

He walked into the bathroom with the tools, leaving Qiao Xuan to follow from behind.

“This is the shower head you’re going to fix?  Let me see ah.”  The man moved aside for her inspection.

Too bad Qiao Xuan didn’t have her Dad’s expertise.  First, she detached the shower head, and then opened it to inspect the inside contents.

“So do you know what the problem is?”

“The problem should be the water hole spray.  There is uneven water distribution, as long as that’s changed, it’ll be like new again.”  It seems the problem is not serious, so she should be able to solve it.

“Oh?”  The man was impressed with her speech.

“Do you know where the replacement parts are?”  This was imported from Europe, so the parts are generally more difficult to obtain.  But this a five star hotel so they should have some in their inventory.

“I’ll ask the electrician.”  The man picked up the phone to make a call.

“It’s alright, let’s not disturb him while he’s doing repairs.  It’ll be hard for him to answer calls.  I’ll go down and get it.”  Qiao Xuan knows that repairing is hard work, so she didn’t want to disturb him.

She immediately went downstairs to find the replacement parts.  It didn’t take long to find the supplies office.

“You see, isn’t that great?”  Qiao Xuan clapped her hands proudly, inspecting the newly repaired shower head.

“Yes.”  The man nodded in agreement.  It appears the new employee has some talent.

“Okay, let’s put back these tools.”  Qiao Xuan handled the toolbox like a pro.

“Do you know who is staying in this room?”  Qiao Xuan didn’t pay any attention to the man who was watching her curiously.  She walked out of the bathroom, taking a good look at the presidential suite.

If she wasn’t a hotel staff, there was no way she could afford this room.

“Hey, don’t touch anything!”  The man saw Qiao Xuan reaching for some papers on the desk, he immediately rushed to stop her.

“I’ll put it back intact after reading it.  As if it was never disturbed.  You look nervous for some reason.”  Qiao Xuan thought the man was afraid to share the consequences with her if they were caught, so she teased him.

“That’s not the problem.  We shouldn’t touch the guests’ things.  Respect for privacy is the most important.”

“What you say is true, but I bet this guy doesn’t know what suffering is.  I usually don’t have respect for people like him.”

“The guy doesn’t know the sufferings of the world?”  The man furrowed his brows.

“Yes well, take a look at this…”  Qiao Xuan picked up a pen on the desk.  “Did you know?  The cost of this pen is enough to support a family for three months.  If this guy knew anything about suffering, would he waste this kind of money?”

Perhaps because of her Dad’s influence, Qiao Xuan always felt that having a little less doesn’t matter.  The most important thing was to donate money to help people in need of help.  She never understood why the rich liked wasting money on useless things, instead of putting it to good use.

“I don’t know what to say.  Maybe it was a gift to him.”  The man defended.

“Oh, that’s right.  This just proves that all rich people are the same.  They have so much money, I wonder if they even have a conscience?”

“No, no conscience?”  This is getting more and more excessive.

“But you can’t say this in front of them.  They don’t like to be criticized.  If you have the opportunity to meet those rich people, be cautious.”  They were of the same working class, so Qiao Xuan felt a since of loyalty to give him this piece of advice.

But the man didn’t appreciate her advice, having silently listened to her harsh criticisms.  This time, he was going to reprimanded her.

“You listen to me –” he had just opened the mouth, when Qiao Xuan’s phone interrupted.

“Hello?”  Qiao Xuan didn’t pay attention to the man anymore.

“Yu Qiao Xuan?  I’m the kitchen chief.  I have some free time now and can show you around.  Where are you?”  Chief Xu Bai Ren went to the staff lounge, but found it empty.

“Ah, sorry, sorry.  I’m coming now!”  Oops, she had been wandering around for so long, she forgot she was supposed to wait downstairs.

“Hey, where are you going?”  This woman rushed off, not letting others finish.

“The kitchen chief is looking for me, I have to go.  You should clean up in here.”  After Qiao Xuan ran two paces, she suddenly turned back, “Oh yes, remember for tomorrow make yourself presentable.  Don’t dress like a bum, you’re dirty enough.”

Finished with what she had to say, she swiftly ran out.

The man in the room was left in a rage.

What did she call him?  A bum?